STOCKINGS. I'd really like to know how and when the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings started. For most people, this is a Santa-intensive rite, i.e. we expect Mr. Santa Claus to come and fill our stockings. This is certainly what I thought was going on in my tender years. I remember trying to stay awake at night so I could hear the sounds of Santa's sleigh on our rooftop, but I always seemed to drop off to sleep before he arrived. We didn't leave cookies and milk for Santa. Hey, I grew up in a large family - Santa was on his own for cookies, and frankly, he didn't look like he needed more sweets in his diet. Nevertheless, he generously overlooked this omission on our part and produced the goods every year. I wonder when the truth finally filtered into my wee little brain: that the parental units were responsible for all this mysterious stocking stuffing. I hope that's not a major Spoiler for anyone reading this blog.
At any rate, I could hardly wait to begin this tradition with our children, but my husband and I felt a little reluctant to ascribe any sort of omnipresence or omniscience to old Saint Nick, so we just left it a complete mystery. The stockings were hung and in the morning they were filled. Nothing was said about who actually did the filling and we didn't take credit for it, nor did we point any specific fingers at Santa. In due time, our children figured it all out and presumably this was not the kind of traumatic experience that will call for years of psychoanalysis in the future. So why do we do it? Just for fun! There's nothing terribly spiritual about it, although I imagine that we could put a spiritual face on it if we chose to. Children (and adults) love mystery and surprises and we combine both those things with the tradition of the Christmas stockings.
Several years ago, our youngest two decided that it really wasn't fair that the parents got left out of this lovely rite every year, so my daughter made a stocking for my husband and we dredged my childhood stocking out of the storeroom. We hang our stockings up along with everyone else's and then "mysteriously" they get filled. I love it!
At any rate, I could hardly wait to begin this tradition with our children, but my husband and I felt a little reluctant to ascribe any sort of omnipresence or omniscience to old Saint Nick, so we just left it a complete mystery. The stockings were hung and in the morning they were filled. Nothing was said about who actually did the filling and we didn't take credit for it, nor did we point any specific fingers at Santa. In due time, our children figured it all out and presumably this was not the kind of traumatic experience that will call for years of psychoanalysis in the future. So why do we do it? Just for fun! There's nothing terribly spiritual about it, although I imagine that we could put a spiritual face on it if we chose to. Children (and adults) love mystery and surprises and we combine both those things with the tradition of the Christmas stockings.
Pete looks so much like Ian in that top picture! It's crazy.
ReplyDeleteI just read your last 4 Christmas traditions. Reading all of these has been helpful in thinking about which things we should try to establish as traditions, see that we already have several traditions, and has given me freedom to try new things without the pressure of making a new tradition. THank you for being so honest about your journey to Christmas tradition. I loved hearing about how they began, how much your children love an participate in them, and the times when your traditions flopped. Have a blessed Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Courtney! I'd love to hear about your traditions as well.
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